My dear friend and super international inventor and developer Anil Anathakrishna has just informed me of the successful commercial launch of the EkoVehicles Electric Scooter in Bangalore. This petrol-less vehicle is similar to the one that I used and tested last year in Oulu. You will find a picture of my scooter, the yellow one, in the gallery. It is light weight, handled beautifully and gave great performance in terms of battery life.
During testing my youthful helper, Jussi Roberts, who drove it rough in the forests near Oulu, Finland, was able to isolate several minor problems related to the hardware. These have been ironed out in the model now launched in India. The vehicle has beautiful control from the lowest of speeds right through to top speed. A novice can master driving this scooter in 1 minute!!
The launch was attended by many political big wigs as Shri M. MALLIKARJUNA KHARGE, Honourable Minister for Water Resources & Transport, Shri P. G. R. SINDHIA, Honourable Minister for Industries and Infrastructure, Government of Karnataka, Shri Om Prakash, Commissioner of Transport, Shri Bhooma Manay, Chairman of Pollution Control Board and Shri Mulka Govinda Reddy, Former Member of Parliament.
Anil can be seen in the far right of the photograph, while another old and good friend, Bhooma Manay, is seen standing next to him.
It is especially important to mention that the launch of this pollution free electric scooter has been greatly assisted by the Bridgittine Order of Roman Catholic Missionary in Bangalore, with The Mother Superior and the sisters supporting Anil's endeavour to promote pollution consciousness.
Anil has reported that the response was phenomenal and they have appointed 8 dealer outlets for Bangalore alone.
My prediction, based on my own personal experience with my scooter, is that production will be unable to keep pace with demand!! I am eagerly looking forward to driving my revamped scooter around Oulu later this year.
Tuesday, March 01, 2005
Launch of the Electric Scooter in Bangalore
"Shoes" by Rahul Matthan
I had unprecented compliments regarding the photograph by Rahul called "Oranges". Rahul has permitted me to blog some of his best photographs. Here is another extraordinary photograph by Rahul. The composition is just superb.
I asked Rahul what equipment he uses. He says that the present photos he has uploaded have been taken with a Nikon Coolpix 5700. This is a compact, lightweight digital still camera with 5.0 effective megapixels. It has been accepted by advanced amateurs, digital enthusiasts as well as semi-professional photographers who demand high performance in every aspect of photography, as well as an air of sophistication. The body is made of magnesium (Mg) alloy. The camera's ergonomic, easy-grip design ensures secure handling and comfortable operation. The Vari-angle LCD monitor and the EVF (Electronic ViewFinder) with its good frame coverage combine to offer total convenience in every shooting position. Features such as 5-area Multi Autofocus and various exposure metering settings satisfy conventional camera users. The Coolpix 5700 has an auto pop-up Speedlight. It also features an accessory shoe for attachment of an external Speedlight when more lighting is necessary. Multiple capture modes can be selected, including the RAW image (NEF format) recording mode for untouched image quality, and movies with audio for up to 60 seconds. It has a built-in speaker, making instant confirmation playback of movies possible. Features like the Noise Reduction Mode, Saturation Control and White Balance Bracketing help to improve image quality.
Cash Sense in the Matthan family?
Grandma and Grandpa are very proud of their absolutely gorgeous granddaughter, Asha.
Asha is extremely talented, being, at the age of 7, an accomplished violist, progressing well with her ballet (see her clutching her Swan Lake video) and doing extremely well in developing her piano skills.
With a professional, her father Chris, as her mentor, she has to work harder than most others!! :-)
Chef Chris is in the background.
I just received an update from daughter, Susanna, that their family is being featured this month on BBC Radio Lincolnshire as part of a campaign just launched called Cash for a Month. Susanna was on radio this morning.
It is reckoned people spend a third more when they use credit cards. So the idea is simple - sign up to use cash only for your everyday shopping during the month of March.
The organisers will follow them from time to time to see how they are getting on. They are planning to use only cash all month for all their shopping (leaving all utility payments as normal on direct debits etc), petrol, etc.
Susanna says that it is quite a challenge, but they really looking forward to it.
The campaign was launched yesterday outside the Bank of England.
Annikki and I do not use credit cards for anything and have not done so for over 10 years. We can vouch for the fact that money goes a long long way more when one follows this rule. No impulsive purchases, number one.
My 80,000 friends!!
One of my corresponents (who shall remain unnamed) wrote to me
"Dear Jacob,
Even I would have 80,000 friends if I forwarded all the e-mails I got to every one I know !!
Just kidding.
Somehow, I prefer a more personal approach, more one-on-one-- too shy to have my mails all over the place."
Actually, I rarely forward emails unless there is a specific purpose
to be served.
I replied thus to my correspondent:
Hi,
What you say is absolutely true that the number of contacts
could grow by forwarding emails, but in my case there is a slight
difference (and my fault) in that I get personally involved with all
the people I deal with.
For instance this is an email I got yesterday from my a Finnish and
a Hungarian friend whom I introduced day-before-yesterday to a
Mumbai couple:
"Hi!
Had dinner last night with Ashok and Malathi, and they
invited us to stay with them already on the phone
before they had met us. .......
Today, we will call Fazila at 4 pm and we should meet
her tonight unless something came up. Malathi asked us
to invite her for dinner at their's tonight as well,
so we will call and ask to see if that is ok.
They are really great people and thank you for linking
us up (ildi's words)."
You see how it works.
All my worldwide friends are great and wonderful people and I
always try to link the right types, knowing each person's
background and character.
That cannot be done by only forwarding emails!!!
When I started "Findians Briefings" as a free hard copy in-house
journal, it was just for a few hundred Finnish and Indian
businessmen interested in trade between the two countries.
Within three months it had snow-balled into 7000 copies
which I could no longer afford to produce it as hard copy.
That was why I started putting it on internet.
Within a year the readership was in 90 countries and covered
over 50,000 people!! And it grew and grew. I was producing it
from my attic with an obsolete Mac PowerBook.
When I launched Seventh Heaven and Kooler Talk, it again
blew up out of all proportions.
The secret was personal "nostalgic involvement" (and it still is).
Plus it is a close one-to-one relationship with my audience which
involves a 24 hour reply and action cycle. Some contact me once a
year, some as often as two or three times a week. Their husbands /
wives, children, grandchildren, are all important to them (and me).
Again to give an instance, Shallu, mother of Rohit and Rahul read the
blog, got her 90 year old mother involved, generating a huge
audience from Madras and Bangalore. Now Rahul's photography
is on the blog. Within a few hours I had readers clamouring for more.
I posted the short note about Rohit's wife's (Kavita's) book "Brahmins
and Bungalows : Travels Through South Indian History by
Kavita Watsa" . That has generated an enormous response
from people I had never heard of before yesterday!!
To give you a couple of examples that you would be more familiar
with: How else would I have stepped in and taken care of Sadhana's
daughter, and her relationship leading to marriage with a Finn, even
though I have never met Sadhana in my life? Or why would I search
and locate Barbara Rossi for Gracie as I have never personally met
Gracie in my life (knowingly)? Both Sadhana and Gracie are part of
my absolutely lovely personally unmet friends, but we know each
other intimately through our correspondence!!!
In the old days it used to be called "pen-pals" whom I have termed
as "e-pals".
When I wrote the article "Greed : Missile of Black Gold", I had
literally hundreds of people all over the world (professors to
housewives) who were saved from losing large amounts of money
and life in the Nigerian Scam. All of these people have become
dear friends even though I do not "know them from
Adam"!!!
When my domain name in Canada collapsed, there was utter
chaos, but now it is slowly getting back to normal as I restore
normal communications with this circle of "friends". (JM:
This has proven to be the most difficult of the tasks that I have
ever undertaken.)
There are hundreds of journalists and writers that I know who send
out automated replies when people write to them about their
articles. I have never done that, so that is why my circle of friends
and readers is so large and growing. Of course I get criticism,
but I answer them with a principled answer which may conflict
with the opinions of the correspondent. But we soon agree to
disagree and remain friends. (Unless of course it is so blatant
as in the bizarre exchange of e-correspondence with the
"educated" American!!)
What is the secret behind Malayala Manorama and its immense
readership? My grandfather's personal involvement with his
audience, something I learnt from him in the 50s!!
It is a philosophy which is built into the organisation and does
not depend on who is in charge today. Rajen, Thambi and Chacko
are really introverts, but Malayala Manorama continues to grow
because of a philosophy laid down in its early years which has
remained unchanged.
Regards
Jacob
Monday, February 28, 2005
Oranges by Rahul Matthan
I have to say that I have found another Matthan with a great talent for photography. Not only is Rahul (son of Anand and Shallu Matthan) an outstanding lawyer, but I am greatly honoured that he asked me to view his photo collection on flickr.com.
I was astounded at the quality, the blending of composition and colour.
Our son, Jaakko, is one who has this quality and talent that he inherited from his mother, Annikki.
I chose just one of Rahul's photographs to show with such a simple subject as a collection of oranges he has brought out depth and feeling!!
Sunday, February 27, 2005
Doubt! Now I am reconsidering a decision..
My daughter, Joanna does not believe that I have over 80,000 personal friends around the globe. She says that it is impossible to remember 80,000 individual names and intricate details of their lives.
Although I have never met most of these 80,000 and more people, each one is closely entwined in my daily life in numerous ways. And many of their lives are entwined in ways that even they do not know - till they discover it on my blog!!!
I was seriously considering splitting my blog based on the interest groups. Joanna also told me yesterday that I was long-winded on my blog. That is a matter of debate as Omenakochamma from Bangalore wrote:
"Thanks for the update. It sure feels good seeing all the details recorded not only for the information of today's generation but also for posterity. We sure need to thank you for this - THANK YOU!"
Then she added:
"Stories of yours are very interesting. I do hope many more will write in!"
Joanna, on the other hand, wants me to write my thousands of stories as children's stories, and little Samuel wants to illustrate them for me - he is a great computer artist at the age of 8!! He certainly would do them justice.
Then, when I received Cathedrlaite 69er Shyla Bogla's email late this evening, I have had to seriously reconsider this line of thought. She wrote:
Hi Jacob,
It's such a small world...
I have a friend in Poona, Jehangir, (also class of 69) who knows
Gopa who is in Finland now. I remember you writing about
her on your site.
Earlier this month we returned from Kerala, after attending Riyad
and Keya's wedding.
The Tharakans are dear friends...
this too I read about via you, reference the Mathews!
Regards,
Shyla
I have sent this reply to her and to several others:
Hi Shyla,
Small world indeed - I think we are all living in the same 50 foot
square compound called EARTH!!! :-)
Riyad's dad, Thambi, is my cousin and a Stephanian.
Abe is also my yearmate from St. Stephen's!! (I don't have Abe's
email address, so do send him a copy if you can or send him my blog address!)
I do not know Abe's kids as yet, unfortunately, although they are
now my nieces!
You may have seen a picture of Thambi and Bina (from my archives)
on my blog, as also his elder brother, Rajen, with Clinton, when I
blogged about him getting the Padma Bushan. I am waiting for a
picture of him receiving the Padma Bushan from the Indian
President earlier this year!
On the blog there is a youthful picture of Thambi's dad (my
mother's younger brother Padma Bushan K. M. Mathew) at the
wedding of another Cathedralite, Sen Philip, 53er, which also
shows 58er Dr. Peter Philip (also a Stephanian) in the corner.
Gopa Haikkonen (daughter of 54er Cathedralite Sadhana (née Shah)
Madhusadan) is my foster daughter in Finland - speak to her often
as she adjusts to life in this torrid (wonder whether I can really use
that word) climate!!
In fact, Gopa rang me yesterday morning to discuss some
aspects of life and other common friends (Malathi and
Ashok (Dr.) Khembhavi) in Mumbai whom I had introduced
to her mother, 54er Sadhana. I spoke to Malathi and Ashok
yesterday as my dear friends Ilari Sohlo, from Finland, and
girlfriend Ildiko Hämos, from Hungary, are going to meet
today as they land in Mumbai after travelling overland from
Hungary, through Turkey, Iran, Pakistan!
Ilari used to write a great column for my now being revamped
online web fortnightly Findians Briefings. Ilari was a classmate
of my daughter, Joanna, when they did their Masters in English
Philology from Oulu University.
Ashok has been a doctor who has been selflessly working in
the Dharavi slums for years and years, still charging Rs. 10 to
Rs. 20 to treat a patient!!! Malathi loves Finland as she spent
a year here looking after a physically handicapped young man.
All of us in Finland love her immensely.
She and her sister, Lalitha, originate from my hometown,
Bangalore, are close friends of the Indian supermind, Anil
Ananthakrishna, also from Bangalore, who for almost 40 years
has been developing the electric vehicle, and is the brains
behind the petrolless Electric Scooter, which is being
launched all over the world by many different groups!!
In Finland this is being done by a former Motor Cross
Champion driver, Jussi Kynsilehto, right here
from my present home town, Oulu, using the "Solifer"
brand name, which is like using the "Bullet" brand
name in India. Jussi has a great sense of humour as he has threatened
to call a forthcoming model as "(Harley) Jacobson"
Just invited Gopa to get the gmail email address as yahoo
and hotmail are no match to what google is offering. Also
I am persuading Gopa to install Skype so we can talk more
frequently at no cost.
54er Sadhana (Gopa's mom in Pune) has become a dear dear
friend and was instrumental in getting the 54er reunion
together in cooperation with Suhas Phadke and Gracie Hayeem.
I was so happy that they mentioned me on their reunion video!!
(I do understand that especially you helped them
considerably.) And through Gracie (in California, USA), the
circle got completed when I organised her reunion with
your classmate, Barbara Rossi, in Italy who was
in her kindergarten class!!!
And for all this I must say it was my "Seventh Heaven" web
page started way back in 1996 and that later reported the
tragic and early passing away of 54er Head Girl Pamela
Ballantine, which brought so many of different years of
Cathedralites together on my web page. That was because,
Aubrey, Pamela's younger brother, in Canada has been
online with me for several years.
Now, after your email, I am seriously wondering whether
I should split the blogs into my interest groups?
Maybe it is just my torrid (and here I use the word correctly)
political musings that should be split off?
Regards
Jacob
Fascinating letter from Shallu
When I wrote about Shallu's father, Dr. Nainan Varghese, I did not expect such a fascinating reply from her. She had sat her mother down in front of the computer and they had read through the blog. Her mother was in wonderment that we could communicate our thoughts and feelings and our treasured possessions of photographs so well through this medium.
As to the story about her father, Shallu said - what her father had told me was so typical of him.
I learnt that Shallu's mother and my mother had been classmates for a year at Women's Christian College, Madras. Shallu's mother then went to Madras Medical College. My mother had many a time mentioned Shallu's mother to me, but I never knew this part of the relationship.
Also, they were also fascinated to read my story about Basu John, who had been a close family friend of theirs.
Shallu's elder son, Rahul (a brilliant lawyer), Geeta's son Lalit (Geeta being the daughter of Babyappapen, younger brother of my father) and our daughter, and our younger daughter, Joanna, were born the same year in the same month - January 1971!!
I also learnt that Shallu's younger son's wife, Kavita, is a writer, having written the book
Brahmins and Bungalows : Travels Through South Indian History/Kavita Watsa. New Delhi, Penguin, 2004, vi, 290 p., (pbk). ISBN 0-14-303146-5.
Contents: Prologue: over the bungalow wall. I. The heart of Anglo-India: 1. Srirangapattana: the Isle of lost dreams. 2. Mysore: a large and handsome town. 3. Bangalore: the vanishing cantonment. II. Along the Arabian: 4. Padmanabhapuram: a palace made of wood. 5. Devbagh: beyond the realm of prose. 6. Goa: five hundred monsoons now. III. Coromandel colonies: 7. Madras: the forgotten fort. 8. Pondicherry: the empire that never was. 9. Tranquebar: day of the danes. IV. The temple trail: 10. Hampi: city of victory. 11. Mamallapuram: masons and Moonrakers. 12. Thanjavur: in the womb of the south. V. Kodaikanal: Epilogue: woodsmoke and roses.
"Kavita Watsa has been seeking new horizons ever since a mischievous great-uncle put her in a horse cart and took her to a Mysore arrack shop at an impressionable age. In this sparkling mosaic of South Indian travels, she treads roads ancient and modern, opens antique travelogues to see what others saw, and reminds us of the myriad peoples and forces that have shaped life south of the Vindhyas. With an almost Victorian sensibility for bends in the road and turns of phrase, Watsa presents a rich blend of landscapes and architecture--from monsoon-lashed Goa to a coast that inspired Tagore, from desolate Hampi to burgeoning Bangalore, from charming Pondicherry to sun-baked Tranquebar and beyond. Crowned by exquisitely rendered memories of the cool woods of Kodaikanal, Brahmins and Bungalows is a witty, elegant, loving portrait of a deeply cosmopolitan land."
The power of blogging is taking root. I promise I will split the blog into the various components within the next couple of weeks, so you do not have to wade through all the rubbish, as my rantings on politics, which is meant for another audience!!
Saturday, February 26, 2005
Samuel and Daniel with me
We, Anneli (Anniki's sister), Annikki and myself, just returned from a fabulous meal cooked by Joanna. We literally licked the platter clean. Even our very conservative grandson, Samuel (Samu), ventured to taste the Thai green curry, which was especially good. The tandoori chicken in gravy was delicious. There was a delicious fried vegetable dish and fresh salad. Sweet was chocolate eclairs, with nougat ice cream and hot toffee sauce.
I took several great photos and short videos, but the one alongside was not one which I just took. I will blog the ones I took later as my upload limit for Flickr.com for this month has been reached. I also have to learn how to blog a short video.
When Geordy George (from Deepika International, Kottayam) and Dr. Balakrishna Janardhana (Bala), Assistant Professor from the Department of Kannada Studies, University of Agricultural Sciences, in Hebbal, Bangalore, visited us earlier this month, Bala took a few pictures.
Here is one of Samuel, Daniel and me that I particularly liked.
It was kindly uploaded on Flickr.com by Geordy.
Thank you Bala.
Thanks to Shalu
One small story about Shallu's late father, who was one of the most famous haemotologist that India has ever known. He met me at a party one evening in Madras where my parents were also present. We were all standing together and my dear mother was ranting about how much dessert I was consuming and that I would soon become a diabetic like my dad.
Dr. Nainan Varghese chipped in and told my mom that I would never become a diabetic!!
Coming from such a renowned expert, I was taken aback, as were both my mom and dad. He went on to explain that as both my mom and dad were considerably shorter than me, I am 6 foot 2 and half inches (191 cm) while both of them were below 5 foot 6 inches, the level of inherent growth hormone in my system would always keep me from becoming a diabetic as I had the natural anti-dote.
We all laughed, but he was deadly serious, as he had made this a serious study and was convinced that the immense volume of data he had collected had no exceptions till that date!!
And, in truth, I have been a borderline diabetic for many many years. I have never reduced my sugar intake, usually in the form of chocolates, biscuts, ice creams, barfi, sweet curd, and every other delicious form of sweetmeat that I can lay my hands on (my mouth just waters when I think of carrot halwa, jelebi, gulab jamuns or a tin of condensed milk), and I remain as such, a borderline diabetic. The moment I do some gym work, within two days my blood sugar will fall well below the borderline!!
Friday, February 25, 2005
Bit late blogging today
Annikki's younger sister, Anneli, who lives near Helsinki, in a small town called Masala, has come for a long weekend. I had to go and pick her up at the station.
These two sisters are very close.
Anneli has two sons, both very accomplished musicians. The elder, Matias, completed his schooling from the Sibelius School For Music, has finished his compulsory army service, and is now going to train for a part in an Opera while waiting to join the next stage of his higher education after summer. Tuomas is also a very very talented musician, but has still a year and a half left to finish his High School. He specialises in the playing the Cello and also has an excellent voice.
Anneli, a trained Childrens' Teacher, heads a Government day-care centre in Masala and is also in charge of all the day-care centres, including those being run in private homes with the permisssion of the Government. She is glad to get a couple of days off to see her mother and sister, a long journey, as it is about 700 km from Masala to Oulu.
To give Annikki a chance to enjoy the time, we will have Joanna and family over for dinner this evening, which I will get from Michelle's Chinese Restaurant "The Royal Garden". Michelle is a family friend, a Chinese girl from Calcutta, whose food cooked for us, some of it super-spiced, is just great!!
This was the birthday cake that Annikki made for Michelle's son, Kachun for his 3rd birthday, a turtle just about to enter the sea from the seashore. Everything is edible, the rocks are toffee, and the water is clear jelly. The toffee forming the turtle's back was of special interest to all the kids, along with all the other sweets used as decoration. The head and feet of the turtle are the especially sought after licquorice sweets that children love.
One strange and unique factor about Annikki's fishes, which is a feature of her series called "Pond Cakes", is that they grow in size. They absorb the water from the jelly and literally grow!!!
Thursday, February 24, 2005
Cross-written Postcards?
Ever since I picked up this postcard in Helsinki about 20 years ago, cross-written postcards which were older than 100 years became my obsession. I searched everywhere, but only found a couple more.
The writer was obviously trying to get more onto a postcard and hence save postage costs. In the process, a beautiful effect was created.
I asked antique dealer houses, Sotheby's and Philips, for valuations about 10 years ago. They said they had no price for these, as examples were rare.
Since this first piece, I have picked up a couple of Finnish ones, but not been able to locate any others from other countries. Antique postcard collectors in Canada have indicated that they have seen some across the Atlantic, and some Italian and French monks are said to have used this method.
However, no further examples have come to light.
The reason for collecting something is the challenge of finding what one is looking for. I found these very ordinary postcards had been turned into something quite beautiful. It was not the value that attracted me, as when I started collecting these, they were less than a Euro each. Now they are worth a few hundred Euro each.
So, although it does not give me any sleepless nights, I do look in antique shops wherever I go to try and find some of these rare postcards. And that is the fun of a hobby!!!
Thanks to Geordy
Wednesday, February 23, 2005
Shall I talk about "great" cakes, like Marie Antoinette
Marie Antoinette was Queen of France. She married the Crown Prince of France in 1770. In 1774 she became Queen of France when her husband was crowned as King Louis XVI.
We seem to be living in similar times. Marie Antoinette was executed on October 16th, 1793. There was no proof of any crimes by her. Something like the Bush regime these days when innocents are tortured and put to death with no proof of any crime being committed by them. Bush calls this "colateral damage"!!!
The famous phrase when Marie Antoinette supposedly told that the peasants who did not have any bread was "Let them eat cake." There is no proof that Marie Antoinette ever said this. It was used to build a case against her to ensure she was put to death in the Revolution. Something like Bush and Blair WMD claims?
I digress, as what I want to blog today is the birthday cake that Annikki made for our son-in-law, Christopher Rogers (Chris) who celebrated his 40th birthday just after Christmas in 2004.
Annkki called the cake "Symphony of Fire and Ice" as our son-in-law is a professional musician who has played with several British Orchestras (Bournemouth, Birmigham, etc.) when he has had the time. Presently, he is in charge of Strings Education for schools all over the County of Lincolnshire in UK.
The cake depicts ice atop a pine log and this melts into a V-shaped burning cut pine log. This burnng log is the traditional way that Finnish foresters keep warm in the forest when they burn the inside of the wooden log (a delicious swiss roll in this case). The log normally burns for a long long time, giving both heat and light in the icey cold winter forest.
The basic cakes under the decoration had to be made from a special mix as Chris is allergic to gluten.
The first picture shows the buring fire log. (Four candles to depict 40 years.)
Tthe second picture is a close up to show the melting ice as it drips water (actually, frozen fizzy lemonade), which wet and softened the dry cake, giving it taste and texture.
Everything was edible. The decorations are what one finds typically in a forest as pine needles (made from sweets) and berries - both the rare cloudberry (yellow) and the more common red berries, both real, in the snow, lovely thick cream. The brown pine logs were sponge cake (swiss rolls) which were thick chocolate cream coated - delicious!!!
Needless to say, the cake was not only delightful to look at, but also delicious to eat. It took a long time before anyone dared to put a knife to the creation, whereafter, it was devoured rapidly by a hungry appreciative crowd!!
Memories are made of this
With all my ranting on politics and my nostalgia for Cathedralites and Stephanian news, I still have time to rummage my old photos and live through of some of the memories that are generated. In doing so I came upon this picture:
One may claim that it just a picture of our two first born, Susanna and Jaakko, at their joint birthday party held in our home in Defence Officers Colony, Nandambakkam in November 1971.
This picture was taken by a friend (who was also related to me), the now late Dr. Basu John, who was the owner of a well-known photographic studio in Chennai called Klein and Peryl, who was photographed by Jaakko in 1999 relaxing in his home:
That's nice, one could claim - subject takes descriptive picture of photographer 28 years onward.
Jaakko also took a picture of the enlargement of 1971 photograph as it lay in the late Dr. Basu John's home in 1999. It was something that Basu John was very proud of.
Still no big deal one could say, till we look at the size of the enlargement and recall the history of the camera that took the original picure.
The original was taken a camera jointly developed by the late Dr. Basu John and myself in 1971, made out of black plastic pieces stuck together, with a lens and optics designed by the brilliant brain of the late Dr. Basu John, while the body and other plastic components were designed by me.
And our calculated market price of launching this camera as a mass produced item in 1972 had been estimated as Rs. 30 per piece, or less than Euro 0.50 (less than a dollar)!!
However, there was much beween the cup and the lip.
A little while later, as Dr. Basu John was sitting with me in my office in the house where the photograph was taken, there was a telephone call to him saying that his studio was on fire. He rushed to the studio. But it was just too late. Some parts of it had been gutted by the fire and all the development plans for this cheap camera had gone up in flames.
After this, neither Dr. Basu John nor I had any inclination to follow through this project.
However, just to be sure that our concepts had been right, Dr. Basu John enlarged the original negative to as large as was possible in his studio, just to see when the image would breakdown.
That is the image you see in Jaakko's photograph when he visited the late Dr. Basu John's home in 1999.
Even at this enormous enlargement, the photograph, even at the edges showed no sign of breaking up!!
The late Dr. Basu John was a great photographer, a wonderful brain as regards optics.
On this day, of no particular significance, I take my hat off and hang my head in remembrance of this outstanding member of the Malayali community of Madras / Chennai.
Sunday, February 20, 2005
Some visitors having problems seeing all the blog entries
A few of you have emailed me that pictures and older blog entries seem to have vanished.
They have not vanished.
When you come to the blog, you are seeing what is known as the "Current Posts" page which shows just 10 or so of the most recent entries.
To see earlier entries you should click in the particular month in the Archives section which you find in the left sidebar. This will reveal all the posts of that month.
I am still trying to work out how I can show you an Index of posts. If I figure it out, and also sort of categorise each entry based on relevance, you will read about it here.
Cheers.
Saturday, February 19, 2005
Nice joke and a personal twist
I had a visitor to Oulu, Geordy George, a couple of weeks ago. He is from Deepika International, part of the Rashtra Deepika Group. a publication group which is almost 117 years old. Geordy has become a family friend.
As you may know there is fierce rivalry between two Kottayam based newspaper group, Rashtra Deepika and the one owned by the Kandathil family to which I half belong, the Malayala Manorama.
Geordy sent me what I thought was a very nice joke which I reproduce below:
Hi
Who works for India ??????
The population of India is 100 crores
1,00,00,00,000; But 19 crores are retired.
-19,00,00,000: That leaves 81 crores do the work.
81,00,00,000: There are 25 crores in school,
-25,00,00,000: Which leaves 56 crores to do the work.
56,00,00,000: Of this there are 22 crores employed by the Central Govt,
-22,00,00,000: Leaving 34 crores to do the work.
34,00,00,000: 4 crores are in the Armed Forces,
-4,00,00,000: Which leaves 30 crores to do the work.
30,00,00,000: Take away from above total the 20 crores people work for
State Governments (State Government employees officially do not work!)
-20,00,00,000: And that leaves 10 crores to do the work.
10,00,00,000: Total unemployed are 8 crores
-8,00,00,000: And that leaves 2 crores to do the work.
2,00,00,000: At any given time there are 1.2 crore people in hospitals,
-1,20,00,000: Leaving 80 lakhs to do the work.
80,00,000: Now, according to Indian Statistical Institute,
there are 79,99,998 people in prisons throughout the country.
-79,99,998: That leaves just 2 people to do the work.......
2
You and me!!!
And currently YOU are sitting at your computer reading mails.
So I am the only person in our country who is working!
And that's why India is surviving!!!
Now, please go back and do your job because, for a change, I want to rest.
And I don't want India to suffer because of that.
Geordy
Geordy left his jaw wide open and I was prompted to reply:
Dear Geordy,
False logic.
I am sitting at my computer in Finland.
So who is that other second guy who is working?
Must be that guy in the Malayala Manorama!! :-)
Thanks for the laugh!!
Jacob, Oulu, Finland
Friday, February 18, 2005
Happy birthday Reenu
Join Annikki and me in wishing Reenu, wife of Rajive, who is the son of K.O. Kuriyan (Vellichayan) and Babykochamma, grandson of the late K. M. Oommens (Mambaltheappachen and Mambaltheammachi), a very very happy birthday.
Reenu and Rajive live in Kottayam near Velichayan and Babykochamma. His two brothers, Ashok Kuriyan and his wife, Meenu, and K. K. Mammen Mappillai (Prathap) and his wife, Geetha, live in Bangalore.
Sadly, no picture of Reenu on our archives, so will somebody help us fill this gap.
Tuesday, February 15, 2005
Happy birthday Susan
Annikki and I would like to wish Susan Kurian (née Verghese), daughter of Mammen Verghese (Thambachayan) and Annammakochamma from the Oopootil family, a very very happy birthday.
Susan is the wife of Prem Kurian. They live in Bangalore.
Susan is the granddaughter of the late Kandathil Mammen Verghese Mappilai and his wonderful and gracious wife, the late Thandammakochamma.
Sadly no picture in my archives of this one of the 5 beautiful sisters (Tara, Roshin, Mammy; Susan and Ashwathy) whom I count a great honour to be my nieces.
I am sure all of you will join me in wishing her many more such birthdays in years ahead.
Monday, February 14, 2005
Dewan Bahadur Kuriyan Matthan site updated
Thanks to all the inputs, I have updated the Dewan Bahadur Kuriyan Matthan website.
The site of his father which links to all his brothers and sisters and their Families will be updated shortly.
Bookmark the sites for your convenience. Do send me photographs that can be used on these sites.
Saturday, February 12, 2005
Today will be put to rest a person I can never forget
Although I met this gentleman only a couple of times, in 1975, he is one I will never forget. He oozed with character and love for his fellow human beings. He was the sweetness equal to the product he represented as his classification in Rotary - confectionary manufacturing.
His visiting card, which I have faithfully preserved for the last 20 years, shows his character.
Rolf Klärich passed away on the 20th of January 2005.
He is the only Finn to have served as the President of Rotary International. He held his term during 1980-81.
His theme for his Presidency was "Take Time To Serve".
"1980-81 Rotary International President Rolf J. Klärich (confectionary manufacturing), Rotary Club of Helsinki- Helsingfors, Finland.
Rotary vision: That its members Take Time to Serve - any time, anywhere - and make the organisation work.
"The time we take to serve those who need us can be the turning point, not only in their lives but also in our own."
- Take Time to Serve, THE ROTARlAN, July 1980"
He was born in Oulu on 5th February 1922. A Rotarian since 1953, Klärich was a member of the Rotary Club of Helsinki-Helsingfors. He started his Rotary life as a member of the Merikoski Rotary Club in Oulu and he twice served as the Governor of the Northern Region of Finland.
He also served Rotary International as vice president, director, Foundation trustee and trustee chair, district governor, International Assembly group discussion leader, information institute counselor, group discussion leader, and committee member and chair.
Klärich, a retired confectionary manufacturer, held several civic and industrial organization offices.
For his service as British consul of Finland's Oulu Province and his work to promote international understanding, the former Rotary International President was made an Honorary Officer of the Order of British Empire. He served as Vice Chairman and then Chairman of the English Club of Oulu, the august position which my better half, Annikki, held several years later.
Klärich is survived by his wife, Katarina (Käthy), and daughters, Veronica, Yvonne, and Birgitta. A memorial service will be held for family and close friends at the Old Chapel in Helsinki today when he will be laid to rest.
Condolences may be sent to the family at Välskarinkatu 7 A 4, FIN 00260 Helsinki, Finland.